Opening Your Mind's Eye

Ever felt like your own eyes are to small for your mind?
Like the mind's eye has been stretched and then melted wide open, taking in the world around you. You have an overload of every sense, taste, touch, hearing and sight? The world flashes past you, making your eyes spin, but feeling the pleasure of your synapses firing the information off through your brain.

I was there, on the bus that afternoon, feeling like a child, seeing everything for the first time again. The window of my imagination seemed to spill over, I was seeing every car, person, biker, door, window, street, lamp, lights, meters, column, alley, skyscraper, crane, welder, construction hat, cement block, for the first time.
My eyes, took apart each, piece by pieces,particle by particle,mapping it out within milliseconds. I was hooked, addicted, obsessed with the view out the window. My ears were assaulted with the music of my Ipod, the conversations of the people around me, and the deep thrum of the bus beneath me.

As I walked home, from my stop, each pore of my skin was open to the wind, sucking in air greedily, wanting more. I could feel the sun, warming me, and the hard earth pushing back on my feet with every step.
It was incredible. I never felt more alive.

Simple Things

Today a co-worker told me a quote, "It was the simple things in life, in marriage that meant the most. A kiss goodbye, holding hands, or even a smile." She said, her face glowing with adoration, "My husband has made it a habit to kiss me once every day he leaves for work."

I had to stop and think, what were the simple things in my marriage?

The kisses goodbye.
A whispered: I love you.
The squeezing of my hand.
A simple love note.
Peanut butter and jelly.
Secret meetings in the shelves of the library?

Each day, we are filled with so many things. Our days are as big as our schedule. Our thoughts are on tasks at hand. There are largely complex problems to deal with, some may be beyond us, others require sacrifice, hard work and intellectual stretching.
In these days we accomplish so much, go so far, stretch beyond our limits and achieve the impossible. We are proud of our accomplishments, conquering our foe, beating the rival, winning the prize.
Our cups are seemingly full to the brim, even flowing over.
So why bother about the simple things?
Why enjoy the puffy clouds in the sky, or feel the sun, just for a moment, kissing your skin with rays of warmth.
Why bother about a hand held, or a smile passed on.

I ask myself these questions.

And I think I need to be more watchful. . .thoughtful. . .and grateful.

Simple things.

Hot Chocolate and Marshmallows

Remember those days: being under four feet, snow up to your nose, and bundled with thirty layers of soggy wet fabric?
Sliding down what seemed to be the grand canyon on a small thin disc of plastic?
Falling onto your canvas of white, making all sorts of snow angels?
Building an ice wall so strong only your older brother could knock it down?
Watching the snow balls fly and fall like rain.
Hearing the trees rustling and an unexpected snow flurry finding its way through all your layers to trickle down your back?
Watching the world around you blanketed in millions of perfect crystals?
Smelling the snow was ready to fall?
Jumping over huge ponds of slush and ice?
Not entirely making it.
Feeling the snow finally seeping through your boots?
Clenching and unclenching your hands to keep them alive?
Finally blonking your way to the back door too tired to grip the door handle?
Knocking your boots against the back porch step?
Opening the door and feeling the warmth of inside on your ice and cherry nose?
Not exactly seeing your mother helping you get your snow gear off.
Feeling weightless and almost naked in your underclothes?
Knowing you are safe from the cold?
Wiggling your toes as they tingle with heat?
Sitting down at the table, grinning like a fool?
A plate of cookies, fresh from the oven in front of you?
Seeing your mom walking towards you, a steaming cup of something in front of you?
Hot Chocolate and Marshmallows, smiling back at you.

Do you remember?

Today

Can I just say, I love my life? What more do I want?

Memories

THREE MEMORIES:

Anyone remember their earliest memory?

Mine was this:

Having the coolest plastic airplane with white exterior and red interior in hand while being pulled in a little red wagon down a white tiled, white walled hallway. There were a lot of knee caps and then darkness.

That was when I was two or three, my tongue was too short for my mouth, so they had to clip the skin connecting my tongue to my mouth, that way I was able to stick my tongue out and lick my ice cream or even say my sister's name: Melissa.

Now days people have to tell me to slow down when I talk, funny eh?

One day I remember walking down the street to my friends home. While passing a particularly large and spiky yucca plant (its stalks seemed to touch the sky), a yellow jacket landed on my arm and climbed up my sleeve. As any normal four year old would do, I panicked.
The sensation of the sting has since fled my memory, but I will never forget screaming at the tops of my lungs, until my mother came running down (mind you 5 houses down the block) to come and comfort me. Some how she knew it was my scream, and probably thought I was being killed or something.

When growing up, there was a beautiful lady in the neighborhood that called me her sunshine. She looked exactly like a barbie, with the long straight blond hair, tan skin and beautiful smile.
I was hooked,(mind you I was four at the time)I'd get my best smile ready for her to see along with my chest all puffed out, trying to be as impressive as a four year old could.
I remember always seeing her at our church, when going through the front doors. She give me her dazzling smile and a hug. I'd probably go all bright red and crack my face in half just grinning about it.
A few years later she passed away unexpectedly. It turned the neighborhood upside down, and shook many lives. I was one.
Who was I going to smile for now?
I decided from then on to give my smile to everyone I met.
Along with my sunshine.

Today was cold! I didn't think much on it as I ran out the door to catch my bus this morning. But when a particularly severe breath of Old Man Winter found its way down my throat, it promptly frumpled and wizzled away. Of course I had to breath again, so my throat reinflated, if not begrudgingly.

Today has been. . . . interesting to say the least.

BUT before I go on, I just have to mention the milestone (Not millstone) in my life has come and gone. I hit 6 months being married to my amazing wife! The good new is that she hasn't killed me yet! Naa, just kidding. But seriously.

We had an awesome time, eating sushi and then laughing so hard it almost came back up. To you my love, here's to the future.

Today,the climax of my day came and went before 1:00. Now its kind of on the downward slope. I had a physics test today. It ended up being a bit more. . .how should I put it, digestable(?), than I thought. I made it out with all fingers and toes accounted for.
Boy, its going to be a great day when that class ends!

What was the last creative thing you've done?

A Quick Minute

How busy are you in a day?
Do you have a little time to stop? To breath?
Can you stop and sigh that sigh?
Enjoy the view for that split second, or meditate for that infinitesimal space of time?

If or when you get a pause, how do you spend it?
FOCUSED? Disjointed? Unconventionally? Unproductively?
Are you selfish with your moment, or do you think outside your box?
Who do you think about?

I am a focused, disjointed thinker that is selfish most of the time.
Missing a bigger picture, another view, or a more important person.
How busy am I today?

Will I say: too busy for you?

Just enough time for me?

Or do I think of you?
How you feel in your moments?
What is your view of?
Do you feel disjointed?

Today in my quick minute, I'm thinking of you,
where you are,
what your doing,
and how much you mean to me.

In this quick minute, I just want you.